Tanzania: True to Olympic Spirit, Dar es Salaam Must Also 'Conquer'

THE 2012 edition of the Olympic Games gets well underway in the British capital London today in which athletes from all over the world will be vying for honours and medals. There have been concern over and morality at the games ranging from terrorism threat and doping.

More than 100 athletes were caught doping and sanctioned by the World's Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in the month leading to the opening of the games.

There have been also confusion on using 'Olympic Lanes' where London motorists were struggling to get to grips with the special Olympic lanes on their first day of operation on Wednesday.

There has also been the racism issue in which Greek triple jumper Paraskevi Papachristou was withdrawn from the event after a perceived racist tweet that caused uproar. All in all, though, British authorities have assured that all will be well.

Tanzania will compete in four disciplines, including Paralympics, swimming, athletics and boxing, and it is our sincere hopes that the athletes will put in a sterling performance to win the nation pride at the Games and raise its profile. From the Olympic glory of the 1960s, 1970s and 1970s, Tanzanian athletes have never managed to repeat feats recorded by local athletics greats such as Filbert Bayi and Suleiman Nyambui. We still seem to be struggling to no avail so far.

The country's hopes this time around lie on marathoner Samson Ramadhani, who won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, Australia in 2006 and Zakia Mrisho who will take part in 5,000m. Meanwhile, Mohammed Msenduki and Faustine Mussa (marathon) will also be expected to exert strong challenge for medals.

The Tanzania Swimming Association (TSA) also expressed their optimism of the chances of the lone country's swimmer Magdalena Moshi to excel when she makes her second appearance in Olympics.

Moshi garnered vast experience, having successfully participated in two major World Championships held in Manchester in the UK and Olympics held in China in 2008. Something is also expected from the boxing team that comprises only one boxer--Seleman Kidunda. Sports fans in the country would be watching the contingent's success. In fact the whole nation will be behind them.

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